Victor Cherbonnier's dining room table and canteen

This old table was supposedly made by or for Victor Cherbonnier in the early 1800's, and it was the dining room table for the Cherbonnier family for more than a century. Interestingly, half of the table top is walnut and the other half is cherry; it was not uncommon to see mixed woods used for furniture in early America.

Victor Cherbonnier was one of Napoleon's soldiers -- apparently one of his bodyguards -- who came to America after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. On the right is his canteen: a glass bottle with a straw wrapper. In Louisiana, he eventually became the superintendant of schools in Assumption Parish. He also asked to be buried standing up, in full uniform with his musket, so that he would be ready to answer the Napoleon's call to battle in the next life!